Sealing arrangement for a vehicle window

ABSTRACT

A sealing arrangement for a vehicle window is described. The sealing arrangement includes at least a retaining rail with a latching channel, wherein the latching channel includes a guide rail and a spring leg, and the retaining rail is fastened to a window; and a covering with a latching rail, wherein the guide rail, together with the spring leg, surrounds the latching rail in the latching channel, and wherein the spring leg and the latching rail are oriented so as to latch parallel to each other. The covering includes a covering edge that makes contact with a glass edge of the window. The guide rail includes a spring element, and the spring element is arranged and tensioned on a contact surface on the lower side of the covering, bears against the latching rail via a centering cam and, together with the covering edge, fixes and centers the covering in the latching channel.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is the U.S. national stage entry ofInternational Patent Application No. PCT/EP2014/068816, filedinternationally on Sep. 4, 2014, which, in turn, claims priority toEuropean Patent Application No. 13185754.2, filed on Sep. 24, 2013.

The invention relates to a sealing arrangement for motor vehicle windowpanes, a method for its production, and its use.

Motor vehicles must, as a rule, be protected, in the region between thewindshield and the engine body, against moisture, airflow generated bydriving, and penetrating dirt. At the same time, the transition zonebetween the windshield and the metal car body must be sealed. In thistransition region, water boxes made of plastic are often used. Waterboxes protect splash-water-sensitive components in the motor vehicleagainst moisture. The water box cover enables draining of the wateraccumulating on the windshield. However, the materials glass, variousplastics, and metal have significantly different properties that makespecial considerations necessary during sealing. In order to enablesecure sealing, polymeric materials such as rubber gaskets are oftenused, particularly in the critical region of the water box. A specialwater box seal that is arranged between the lower edge of the windshieldand the water box cover often assumes this role. This water box sealmust be stable, resistant, and also simple to install. The water boxseal is usually produced by extrusion methods; it is fixed on thecomponents by suitable adhesives and adhesive systems.

DE 199 61 706 A1 discloses an arrangement for joining a fixedlyinstalled windshield to a car body component, in particular, to a waterbox. The arrangement comprises a profiled strip with a lip adhering tothe vehicle window pane. The lip has, on its underside, means forjoining to a component.

DE 10 2009 026 369 A1 discloses a sealing arrangement for motor vehiclewindow panes. It comprises a retaining rail, a windshield, and a coverconnected via a connection point to a latching rail. The retaining railcomprises a latching channel that is formed with a spring leg and asupport body. The cover is engaged with the latching rail in thelatching channel and a spring element is arranged between the contactsurface of the cover and the support body.

WO 2013/120671 A1 discloses a sealing arrangement for motor vehiclewindow panes. The arrangement comprises a retaining rail attached to awindow pane with a latching channel that is formed by a guide rail and aspring leg. Moreover, the sealing arrangement comprises a cover with aguide channel, which is formed by the latching rail and a positioningstop. The centering and fixing of the sealing arrangement isaccomplished by tensioning the guide rail in the guide channel andengaging the latching rail in the latching channel.

DE 199 39 191 A1 discloses an arrangement for connecting a motor vehiclewindow pane to an adjacent component by means of a profiled part, whichis, on the one hand, fastened to the pane edge and, on the other,supports the component.

In order to be able to obtain high leak-tightness and stability of thesealing arrangement, in particular, perfectly fitting locking, veryprecise production is required. If the components produced deviate onlyslightly from the production specifications, very high forces arefrequently required for locking the components. Depending on thedeviation, even only limited sealing can result. High locking forces andproduction tolerances can also negatively affect the positioningaccuracy of the sealing arrangement and make the installation processsignificantly more difficult.

The object of the invention resides in providing a sealing arrangementfor motor vehicle window panes, which is less sensitive to productiontolerances and requires only low forces for durable and secure lockingof the individual components, whereby, at the same time, the gap betweenthe motor vehicle window pane and the cover is closed.

The sealing arrangement for a vehicle window pane according to theinvention comprises at least a retaining rail with a latching channel.The latching channel comprises a guide rail and a spring leg. Theretaining rail is fastened to a window pane. The retaining rail can beattached via an adhesive or an adhesive tape. The retaining rail servesas a connection piece between the pane and the vehicle body component.The invention further comprises a cover, in particular, a water boxcover, with a latching rail, wherein the guide rail, together with thespring leg, surrounds the latching rail in the latching channel. Thespring leg and the latching rail are oriented so as to latch parallel toeach other parallel. At the same time, the cover makes contact, by meansof the cover edge, with a glass edge of the pane. The expression “makescontact” includes, in the context of the invention, in the non-loadedstate, at least section-wise contact between the cover and the glassedge. Due to installation tolerances, the direct contact between thecover and the glass edge extends to more than 50%, preferably more than70%, and particularly preferably more than 90% of the length of thecover, with the spacing (in the following, also referred to as joint orgap) in the remaining region being less than 0.5 mm. Such a small gapregion is adequate to keep contaminants such as leaves, small stones, orsand, away from the interior of the sealing arrangement.

The guide rail includes, on the end facing away from the window pane, aspring element, with the spring element bearing against a contactsurface on the bottom of the cover and preferably against the directionof insertion such that, by means of the spring force, pressure isexerted against the bottom of the cover. The spring element is, incross-section, preferably implemented as a single lip, particularlypreferably finger- or tongue-shaped. Together with the guide rail, thespring element seals the contact surface, preferably completely, on thebottom of the cover and, at the same time, supports it. The springelement preferably has a high specific stiffness. The spring elementseals the latching channel against the outside atmosphere. The guiderail rests against the latching rail via a centering cam and fixes andcenters the cover, together with the cover edge, within the latchingchannel. The cover edge can be implemented both as a fixed part of thecover, but also include a different material, preferably an elasticmaterial. The cover edge is preferably implemented triangular,rectangular, or trapezoidal in cross-section.

The latching rail rests against the guide rail via a centering cam and,together with the window pane, centers the latching rail. The centeringcam is implemented as a bulge or protrusion of the guide rail. Thecentering cam is preferably an uninterrupted part of the guide rail.

The centering cam and the glass edge of the window pane center the coverin the lateral direction to the pane, in other words, in the plane ofthe pane and orthogonal to the glass edge of the pane, and, thus, thelatching rail in the latching channel. The locking arrangementconsisting of the spring leg and the latching rail is thus relieved ofthe centering or positioning task and can, accordingly, be designed withthin walls, resulting, in turn, in small engagement forces. The lockingarrangement consisting of the spring leg and the latching rail isdesigned to only exert a retention force on the cover and thus toprevent a “disengagement” of the cover out of the latching channel. Acentering rib or a positioning stop, as they are known in the prior art,is no longer necessary.

All this has the advantage according to the invention that noundesirable shadow joint (gap) appears between the cover and the pane.Despite possible and sometimes inevitable manufacturing tolerances,precise positioning of the retaining rail as well as the cover on thewindow pane is possible via the cover edge and the centering cam.

The spring element preferably includes elastomers and/or thermoplasticelastomers, preferably polyurethanes, polyolefins, polysulfides,polyepoxides, and rubber, such as natural rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR),styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylenepropylene diene rubber, silicones such asRTV-(room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone rubber),HTV-(high-temperature-vulcanizing) silicone rubber, peroxide-vulcanizingsilicone rubber, and/or addition-vulcanizing silicone rubber,polyacrylates, styrene/butadiene block copolymers (SBS), and/or ethylenepropylene diene rubber (EPDM).

The spring element is preferably implemented as a (partially) hollowbody, a porous solid body, or as a solid body. The different design ofthe spring element enables additional variation and control ofstability, weight, and elasticity.

The spring element preferably has a Shore hardness of Shore A 40 toShore A 90, preferably Shore A 50 to Shore A 75. The Shore hardnessaccording to the invention enables a reversible but, at the same time,firm and leakproof sealing of the contact surface.

The spring element preferably has a length of 2 mm to 8 mm, preferably 3mm to 6 mm. This length enables optimum sealing and centering of thespring element. If a greater length were selected, the supporting actioncan decrease; with a shorter length, the sealing can be partiallylimited. The spring element preferably has a diameter at the foot pointof 0.5 mm to 3 mm, particularly preferably 1 mm to 2 mm. The “footpoint” refers to the zone of the contact region of the spring elementwith the guide rail. The spring element preferably has a diameter on thefree end of 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably from 0.5 mm to 1 mm.Particularly in combination with a Shore hardness of the spring elementfrom Shore A 40 to Shore A 90, the dimensions mentioned improve thesimultaneous supporting, sealing, and, especially, centering action ofthe spring element.

The retaining rail and/or the guide rail preferably contain areinforcing insert. The reinforcing insert increases the stability ofthe retaining rail and enables further regulation of the stability. Thereinforcing insert preferably includes metals, organic polymers, orcomposite materials.

The cover edge can be made of the same material as the cover andpreferably be designed in one piece with the rest of the cover.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cover edge has arubberlike, elastic seal, preferably in the form of an edge. The elasticseal is preferably arranged adjacent the glass edge of the window paneand designed such that it makes contact therewith. In a particularlyadvantageous embodiment of the cover edge according to the invention,the elastic seal is arranged on the bottom of the cover and cannot beseen from the outside. To this end, the cover can be tapered on thebottom and the cover edge can completely or partially fill the taper.This embodiment yields the greatest possible homogeneous appearance ofthe arrangement of the pane and the cover.

The elastic seal has, as a soft component, a preferably lower hardnessand stiffness than the cover. By means of its elastic form, componenttolerances are minimized and the risk of development of relativemovements between the cover and the window pane is reduced. The elasticseal preferably has a Shore hardness of Shore A 40 to Shore A 75,preferably Shore A 50 to Shore A 65. The Shore hardness according to theinvention enables adequate stability for centering as well as adequateflexibility for compensation of production tolerances.

The retaining rail is preferably bonded to the window pane via anadhesive bond. The adhesive bond enables a simple, stable, and durablefastening of the window pane on the retaining rail and through it on themounting part. The adhesive bond preferably comprises or containsacrylate adhesives, methyl methacrylate adhesives, cyanoacrylateadhesives, polyepoxides, silicone adhesives, and/or silane-curingpolymer adhesives, as well as mixtures and/or copolymers thereof. Thecontact surface of the adhesive bond with the pane or retaining railcan, optionally, be pretreated, for example, with a primer or a plasmatreatment.

The adhesive bond preferably comprises a double-sided adhesive tape. Thedouble-sided adhesive tape enables quick and precise fixing of the paneon the retaining rail. Curing of the adhesive is, as a rule,unnecessary. Dosing of the adhesive is also eliminated.

In an advantageous embodiment variant, the spring leg includes a metalor plastic insert, preferably a metal foil or metal spring.

In an alternative embodiment variant, the spring leg is implementedwithout metal or plastic inserts. By this means, particularly lowengagement forces are obtained for the engagement of the latching railbetween the guide rail and the spring leg. The spring leg can, inparticular, contain or consist of a folded or rolled metal foil with anattached, for example, polymeric, latching hook.

The spring leg preferably has a latching hook. The latching hook ispreferably implemented in the form of a barbed hook and improves thelatching and anchoring of the spring leg with the latching rail.

The latching hook preferably has a rounded surface, which yields simplerengagement with the latching rail with simultaneously greater stabilityagainst subsequent separation of the engagement.

The latching rail preferably includes recesses or bulges. Thesestructural elements enable and secure the engagement and locking of thespring leg with the latching rail and thus the fixing of the installedpart, for example, a water box, to the window pane.

The spring leg is preferably deflectable or deflectably connected to theretaining rail. Depending on the deflection force, the connectionbetween the installed part and the window pane can be reversibly orirreversibly closed.

The invention further comprises a method for producing a sealingarrangement. In a first step, a retaining rail is bonded to a windowpane via an adhesive bond. In a following step, a guide rail is arrangedinside a guide channel of a cover. At the same time or subsequently, thecover with a latching rail is pushed into a latching channel beyond alatching hook under tensioning of a spring element between the guiderail and a contact surface on the bottom of the cover. In the followingstep, the cover moves back under relaxation of the spring element andthe latching hook is engaged against the latching rail.

The invention further includes the use of a sealing arrangementaccording to the invention for a windshield or rear window, preferablyas a water box cover of a windshield.

In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference todrawings. The drawings are a purely schematic representation and nottrue to scale. They in no way restrict the invention.

They depict:

FIG. 1 a cross-section of the sealing arrangement according to theinvention,

FIG. 2 a cross-section of a sealing arrangement according to the priorart,

FIG. 3 an enlarged detail of the sealing arrangement according to theinvention,

FIG. 4 a flowchart of the method for producing the sealing arrangementaccording to the invention, and

FIG. 5 an enlarged cross-section of the latching hook of FIG. 1 duringthe engagement procedure.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross-section of the sealing arrangement according tothe invention. A pane 1, preferably a composite glass pane, is bonded toa retaining rail 3 via an adhesive bond 2. In an optional embodiment ofthe invention, the contact surface of the adhesive can be pretreated,for example, with a primer or a plasma treatment of the retaining rail.The retaining rail 3 serves for bonding a vehicle component, preferablya water box, to the window pane 1. The retaining rail 3 includes alatching channel 4, wherein the latching channel 4 is formed by a guiderail 5 and a spring leg 6. The retaining rail 3 includes a reinforcinginsert 15. The reinforcing insert 15 preferably includes metals andelastic plastics and can optionally also increase the stiffness of theretaining rail 3. A cover 7, preferably of a water box, is connected andfastened to the retaining rail 3 via a latching rail 9. The latchingrail 9 is fixed via a centering cam 10 to the guide rail 5 and via thecover edge 8 to the glass edge of the window pane 1. The cover edge 8 asan elastic seal in the form of a soft edge further serves as a buffer atthe time of installation and compensates production tolerances. Apositioning stop 18 as in FIG. 2 is not necessary. The connection of thespring leg 6 and the latching rail 9 is done via the bulge 16 as well asthe latching hook 14. The connection of the spring leg 6 and thelatching rail 9 contributes only slightly to the centering; instead, itforms a restoring force which prevents disengagement of the cover 7.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-section of a sealing arrangement according to theprior art. A pane 1, preferably a composite glass pane, is bonded via anadhesive bond 2 to a retaining rail 3. The retaining rail 3 serves forthe connection of a vehicle component, preferably a water box, to thewindow pane 1. The retaining rail 3 includes a latching channel 4,wherein the latching channel 4 is formed by a guide rail 5 and a springleg 6. The retaining rail 3 includes a reinforcing insert 15. Thereinforcing insert preferably includes metals and elastic plastics andcan optionally also increase the stiffness of the retaining rail 3. Acover 7, preferably of a water box, forms a guide channel with alatching rail 9 and a positioning stop 18. The guide rail 5 implementedas part of the retaining rail 3 is arranged in the guide channel andseals the guide channel with a spring element 11. The spring element 11is depicted in FIG. 2 in a tensioned and a relaxed position at the sametime. The latching rail 9 is, at the same time, engaged in the latchingchannel 4 against a spring leg 6 and provides for a fixing of the cover7. In the guide channel 8, the spring element 11, preferably in the formof a polymeric, rubber-containing, and elastic lip, is tensioned betweena contact surface 12 on the bottom of the cover 7, a positioning stop18, and the guide rail 5. The spring element 11 is preferablyimplemented, in cross-section, as a single, finger-shaped lip withoutfurther recesses or protrusions. As described above, the spring element11 seals the contact surface 12 on the bottom of the cover 7 between thepositioning stop 18 and the rail 9. At the same time, the spring element11 supports the cover 7 on the latching retaining rail 3.

In the prior art according to FIG. 2, the fixing and centering of thesealing arrangement is accomplished in the lateral direction 20 relativeto pane by means of a guide channel, which is formed from the latchingrail 9 and the positioning stop 18 and in which the guide rail 5 and thespring element 11 are tensioned. A substantial advantage of theinvention is that the positioning stop 18 and, thus, the guide channelis no longer necessary, which represents a major simplification in termsof production technology. The fixing and centering of the latching rail9 is accomplished in the lateral direction 20 completely by means of thecentering cam 10 against the guide rail 5 and in synergistic interactionwith the cover edge 8 against the glass edge 13 of the window pane 1.This measure simultaneously achieves adequate sealing and an adequategap closure between the glass edge 13 and the cover edge 8.

FIG. 3 depicts an enlarged detail of the sealing arrangement accordingto the invention. The structure corresponds to the basic structuredescribed in FIG. 1. The fixing of the latching rail 9 is done via acentering cam 10 on the guide rail 5 and via the cover edge 8 on theglass edge of the window pane 1. The connection of the spring leg 6 andlatching rail 9 is done via the bulge 16 of the latching rail 9 as wellas the latching hook 14 of the spring leg 6. The cover edge 8 in theform of an elastic seal can compensate production tolerances at the timeof installation of the water box seal. Furthermore, the risk of noisegeneration during relative movements between the pane and the cover canthus be reduced or avoided.

This was unexpected and surprising for the person skilled in the art.

FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of the method according to the invention forproducing the sealing arrangement. In a first step, a retaining rail 3is bonded to a window pane 1 via an adhesive bond 2 in the form of adouble-sided adhesive tape. Then, the cover 7 with a latching rail 9 ispushed into a latching channel 4 beyond a latching hook 14 undertensioning of a spring element 11 between the guide rail 5 and a contactsurface 12 on the bottom of the cover 7. In the final step, the cover 7moves back under relaxation of the spring element 11 and wherein thelatching hook 14 is engaged on the recesses or bulges 16 of the latchingrail 9 and the glass edge 13 makes contact with the cover edge 8.

In an advantageous embodiment of the sealing arrangement according tothe invention, the convexly curved engagement guide surface 17 isarranged in the distal region of the latching hook 14 facing the bulge16. Here, “distal” means the region of the latching hook 14 that firstencounters the bulge 16 during engagement and is arranged away from theconnection point between the spring leg 6 and the retaining rail 3.

Latching hooks according to the prior art customarily have, in theirdistal region, an engagement guide surface in the form of an inclinedplane with a constant angle. The matching locking element, in particulara bulge, has an engagement sliding edge with a rounding with a smallradius in order to avoid force peaks or pressure peaks when theengagement sliding edge is inserted along the guide plane. The forcethat is necessary for insertion and locking of the latching hook withthe locking element is a function of the wedge angle φ (Phi) between thedirection of insertion and the inclined plane of the engagement guidesurface, with the force becoming greater with the increasing wedge angleφ. An engagement guide surface in the form of an inclined plane with aconstant angle thus has the disadvantage that with increasing deflectionof the spring leg, the wedge angle φ between the direction of insertionand the inclined plane increases and thus the engagement force necessaryfor engagement increases greatly.

In contrast, the engagement guide surface 17 of the latching hook 14according to the invention has, in cross-section, a convexly curvedcontour. The convexly curved contour according to the invention has theeffect that an enlargement of the wedge angle φ is reduced or avoided,as it would develop during insertion with engagement guide surfaces inthe form of an inclined plane according to the prior art. In otherwords, with convexly curved engagement guide surfaces 17 according tothe invention, the wedge angle φ remains, for example, substantiallyconstant and independent of the deflection of the spring leg 6. This hasthe particular advantage that the cover 7 can be locked to the retainingrail 3 precisely and without relatively great exertion of force.Alternatively, the wedge angle φ and along with it the engagement forceF_(E) can be selectively influenced by a specific convex curving of theengagement guide surface 17, which can be calculated by simpleconsiderations or experiments. Thus, the curvature of the engagementguide surface 17 can, for example, be implemented such that at thebeginning of the engagement process, a greater engagement force F_(E) isnecessary than toward the end of the engagement process. Alternatively,the curvature of the engagement guide surface 17 can, for example, beimplemented such that at the beginning of the engagement process asmaller engagement force F_(E) is necessary than toward the end of theengagement process, in order to tactilely or audibly perceive a clearerengagement effect.

In an advantageous embodiment of the engagement guide surface 17according to the invention, the convex curvature has a local radius ofcurvature r_(EF) of 1.5*b to 5.0*b and preferably from 2.0*b to 4.0*b,where b is the maximum deflection of the latching hook 14 during theengagement process. Here, “local radius of curvature” means that theconvex curvature can have different radii of curvature at differentpoints along the contour, each of which is within the range indicatedabove. As investigations of the inventor demonstrated, local radii ofcurvature in this range enable simple and operationally reliableengagement under mobilization of lower engagement forces F_(E).

In an advantageous embodiment of the engagement guide surface 17according to the invention, the convex curvature has a constant radiusof curvature r_(EF) from 1.5*b to 5.0*b and preferably from 2.0*b to4.0*b, where b is the maximum deflection of the latching hook 14. Asinvestigations of the inventor demonstrated, radii of curvature in thisrange enable simple and operationally reliable engagement undermobilization of lower engagement forces F_(E). As a result of theconstant radius of curvature, such guide surfaces 17 are simple todesign and produce.

In an advantageous embodiment of the sealing arrangement according tothe invention, the engagement sliding edge 19 has a radius of curvaturer_(EG) from 0.05*b to 0.5*b and preferably from 0.2*b to 0.4*b, where bis the maximum deflection of the latching hook 14. As investigations ofthe inventor demonstrated, such radii of curvature of the engagementsliding edge 19 are particularly well-suited to prevent pressure peakson the engagement sliding edge 19 and the engagement guide surface 17and to protect their materials.

FIG. 5 depicts the basic contour of a spring leg 6 with latching hook 14and the latching rail 9 with bulge 16 of FIG. 1 during the engagementprocess in an enlarged cross-sectional view.

The latching hook 14 has, on the side facing the latching rail 9, in thedistal region, an engagement guide surface 17. The engagement guidesurface 17 is convexly curved. The engagement guide surface 17 has here,for example, the form of a circular segment with a radius of curvatureof the engagement guide surface r_(EF) of 2 mm. The bulge 16 has, on theside facing the spring leg 6, in its distal region, an engagementsliding edge 19. Here, “distal” means the region of the latching hook14, which encounters the bulge 16 first during engagement and isarranged away from the connection point between the spring leg and theretaining rail. The engagement sliding edge 19 has here, for example,the form of a circular segment with a radius of curvature of theengagement r_(EG) of 0.15 mm. The maximum deflection b of the latchinghook 14 in this example is 0.7 mm, which essentially corresponds here tothe width of the bulge 16.

During the engagement process, an engagement force F_(E) is exerted onthe cover 7. The engagement sliding edge 19 encounters the tangent ofthe engagement guide surface 17 of the latching hook 14 at a wedge angleφ (Phi). The engagement force F_(E) meets the latching hook 14 at thecontact point between the engagement sliding edge 19 and the engagementguide surface 17 and is converted into a transverse force such that thelatching hook 14 is moved away from the latching rail 9 by thetransverse force under tensioning of the spring leg 6. The engagementforce F_(E) required depends on the restoring force of the spring leg 6,the friction between the engagement guide surface 17 and the engagementsliding edge 19, and, in particular, the wedge angle φ between thedirection of the engagement force F_(E) and the tangent to theengagement guide surface 17. This has the particular advantage that thecover 7 can be locked to the retaining rail 3 precisely and without agreat expenditure of force.

This was unexpected and surprising for the person skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   1 pane-   2 adhesive bond-   3 retaining rail-   4 latching channel-   5 guide rail-   6 spring leg-   7 cover-   8 cover edge/elastic seal-   9 latching rail-   10 centering cam-   11 spring element-   12 contact surface-   13 glass edge of the pane-   14 latch hook-   15 reinforcing insert-   16 recesses or bulges-   17 rounded surface of the latching hook 14, engagement guide surface-   18 positioning stop-   19 engagement sliding edge-   20 lateral direction

The invention claimed is:
 1. A sealing arrangement for a vehicle windowpane, comprising: a retaining rail configured with a guide rail and aspring leg, wherein the guide rail and the spring leg form a latchingchannel, and wherein the retaining rail is fastened to a window pane;and a cover configured with a latching rail, wherein the guide rail,together with the spring leg, surrounds the latching rail in thelatching channel, wherein the spring leg and the latching rail areoriented so as to latch parallel to each other, wherein the cover makescontact, by means of a cover edge, with a glass edge of the window pane,wherein the guide rail is configured with a spring element, the springelement being arranged and tensioned against a contact surface on thebottom of the cover, and wherein the guide rail rests against thelatching rail via a centering cam and, together with the cover edge,fixes and centers the cover in the latching channel, and wherein thespring leg has a latching hook with a rounded surface.
 2. The sealingarrangement according to claim 1, wherein the latching rail has a bulgealigned with the rounded surface of the latching hook.
 3. A sealingarrangement for a vehicle window pane, comprising: a retaining railconfigured with a guide rail and a spring leg, wherein the guide railand the spring leg form a latching channel, and wherein the retainingrail is fastened to a window pane; and a cover configured with alatching rail, wherein the guide rail, together with the spring leg,surrounds the latching rail in the latching channel, wherein the springleg and the latching rail are oriented so as to latch parallel to eachother, wherein the cover makes contact, by means of a cover edge, with aglass edge of the window pane, wherein the guide rail is configured witha spring element, the spring element being arranged and tensionedagainst a contact surface on the bottom of the cover, wherein the guiderail rests against the latching rail via a centering cam and, togetherwith the cover edge, fixes and centers the cover in the latchingchannel, and wherein the latching rail has recesses or bulges.
 4. Thesealing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spring element isformed, in cross-section, as a single lip.
 5. The sealing arrangementaccording to claim 1, wherein the spring element has a Shore hardness ofShore A 40 to Shore A
 90. 6. The sealing arrangement according to claim1, wherein the cover edge has an elastic seal in the form of an edge. 7.The sealing arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the elastic sealhas a Shore hardness of Shore A 40 to Shore A
 75. 8. The sealingarrangement according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rail includes areinforcing insert.
 9. The sealing arrangement according to claim 1,wherein the guide rail includes a reinforcing insert.
 10. The sealingarrangement according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rail is bondedto the window pane via an adhesive bond.
 11. The sealing arrangementaccording to claim 10, wherein the adhesive bond comprises adouble-sided adhesive tape.
 12. The sealing arrangement according toclaim 1, wherein the spring leg has a latching hook.
 13. The sealingarrangement according to claim 3, wherein the spring element is formed,in cross-section, as a single lip.
 14. The sealing arrangement accordingto claim 3, wherein the spring element has a Shore hardness of Shore A40 to Shore A
 90. 15. The sealing arrangement according to claim 3,wherein the cover edge has an elastic seal in the form of an edge. 16.The sealing arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the elastic sealhas a Shore hardness of Shore A 40 to Shore A
 75. 17. The sealingarrangement according to claim 3, wherein the retaining rail includes areinforcing insert.
 18. The sealing arrangement according to claim 3,wherein the guide rail includes a reinforcing insert.
 19. The sealingarrangement according to claim 3, wherein the retaining rail is bondedto the window pane via an adhesive bond.
 20. The sealing arrangementaccording to claim 19, wherein the adhesive bond comprises adouble-sided adhesive tape.
 21. The sealing arrangement according toclaim 3, wherein the spring leg has a latching hook.